


Holiday x on the x Beach!

by AutumnPen



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Beach Holidays, Day At The Beach, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Gift Exchange, M/M, Vacation, christmas 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22030177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnPen/pseuds/AutumnPen
Summary: Gon gets a tip on a beautiful, secluded beach from two old friends - and decides to take his friends on vacation!Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio all come along on a much-needed beach holiday.
Relationships: Gon Freecs & Kurapika & Leorio Paladiknight & Killua Zoldyck, Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika & Leorio Paladiknight, leopika but like only if u want it to be there
Comments: 15
Kudos: 152





	Holiday x on the x Beach!

**Author's Note:**

> A little bit of a belated gift for a xmas gift exchange! Just the boys havin' a day at the beach.

“I think we’re almost there.”

Killua turns from the scenic view outside the passenger seat window to look at Gon leaning forward eagerly as he drives, practically vibrating in his seat. 

Behind them, Kurapika lets out an acknowledging hum while Leorio continues to snore. He’d fallen asleep nearly as soon as they piled into their small rental car. After Gon volunteered to drive, he’d been much more amenable to Gon’s suggestion that they head out to the beach early. Killua guesses now that Leorio took Gon’s offer as an invitation to catch up on sleep lost along the way.

“I can’t wait to see this place in person,” Gon says, almost bouncing in place now - in some ways just as excitable at 28 as he was when he was just 12 years old. “The pictures Palm and Ikalgo sent when they told us about it were amazing.”

“Haven’t you seen enough beaches to last you a lifetime?” Killua asks, unable to keep the amused smile off of his lips. “You grew up on an _island_. You’re awfully jazzed up about a bunch of sand and water.”

Gon clicks his tongue and reaches over to smack Killua on the shoulder - a show of annoyance that is completely undermined by the way he can’t stop smiling. “It’s not _just_ water and sand, Killua.” 

Before Gon can take his hand back, Killua snatches it up, threading their fingers together. Gon glances at him sideways, all smiles still as he lets their hands rest between them on the center console and continues to drive one-handed.

“And it’s not just the beach I’m excited for,” Gon explains. His brown eyes tick up, looking in the rearview mirror. “It’s just… It’s been ages since we’ve all been able to go do something like this together. ...I’ve missed it.”

A pale hand places itself on Gon’s shoulder. Killua turns his head to see Kurapika leaning forward, a soft smile on his face. “I’m glad we were able to make it work,” he says, squeeze Gon’s shoulder gently.

Gon smiles at him through the rearview mirrors. “Yeah. I’m glad The Zodiacs could spare you both.”

With a sigh, Kurapika leans back. “We’ve earned a break, I think,” he says, glancing towards Leorio.

True to Gon’s word, it’s not long before they arrive at their destination. The greenery surrounding the narrow road they’re on opens up to a wide spread of beach - white sand and crashing waves. Gon starts bouncing in his seat in earnest. Killua hides his smile behind his hand.

When they park, Gon is the first out, running around to the back of their vehicle before any of the rest of them can even get unbuckled. Killua glances over his shoulder to meet Kurapika’s eyes, and they share a moment of fond exasperation. Soon, Killua follows. On his way to join Gon in unloading the car, Killua pauses by the back passenger door. Leorio’s face is comically smooshed against it and he’s snoring louder than before.

Killua snickers, digs his phone out of his pocket to take a picture, then considers how best to wake his friend.

With a mischievous grin, Killua smacks the window with an open palm. He’s rewarded by the sight of Leorio jolting awake and the sound of muffled cries from inside the car. “Wake up, old man! We’re here!”

It takes a little flailing before Leorio manages to open the door, and by then Killua stands at the back, beside Gon, openly laughing.

“Damn brat,” Leorio spits.

The red splotch on Leorio’s cheek from leaning against the window only makes Killua laugh harder. “Did you have a good nap, grandpa?”

If he were paying more attention or laughing a little less he likely would have been able to dodge Leorio’s incoming hand, but soon Killua feels he pinching and a painful tugging at his cheek. “Hey!”

Leorio has his cheek held firmly between forefinger and thumb, and gives Killua a vicious shake. “When are you gonna grow up and stop being a brat?”

It’s Killua’s turn to flail. He only manages to get Leorio to release him when he lands a hand on him long enough to give him a nasty shock. Leorio jerks his hand away with a loud _‘yOOWch!’_ “As soon as you stop being a loud, annoying, old man,” he retorts. “So never, I guess.”

“Why you-!”

In the corner of his eye, Killua notices Gon finally stand up straight from where he’d been bent, rifling through the things in their trunk. Now Killua can see why Gon’s been in there so long - he’s loaded down with half of the trunk’s contents.

Two large totes hang from one arm, one of the folding chairs is slung across his back, and he has one of their ice chests hoisted up onto one shoulder.

“Whoa, Gon! Leave a little for the rest of us.” Leorio says.

Gon just grins at Leorio as he bends at the knees just enough to grab the sun umbrella from where it lays, swinging it to prop on his other shoulder. “Don’t worry - I’ve got it!” And with that, he’s taking off - running down the beach with the purpose of finding what he deems to be the perfect spot, Killua is sure. 

Not that they’ll have to look very hard. Apparently this stretch of beach is secluded enough that they have it all to themselves. 

“This’ll be nice.”

Killua looks over as Kurapika speaks up. He’s eyeing the beach and its lack of tourists as well. Killua nods, smiling. When he looks out towards the beach again, Gon is spearing the umbrella into the stand, turning it in place so it drills further down. He turns to the trunk. “Well, let’s get the rest of this stuff before Gon runs back to carry it all himself.”

*

It doesn't take them long to get set up - a large beach blanket under their umbrella, the rest of their items scattered about. Shoes are kicked off, electronics deposited safely in a bag, and Killua and Gon take a moment to dress down. Killua pulls his tank top over his head and Gon shoulders off his open short-sleeved button up before tossing it aside. Kurapika is already settling into one of the lounging chairs under the shade, pulling out one of the books he’s brought just for this occasion.

Killua turns to the water, expecting Gon to follow him.

He’s stopped when a hand catches his wrist, pulling him back.

“Killua, wait - sunscreen first.”

“Right, you gotta put it on before you get in the water,” Leorio agrees, reaching into a tote to toss a bottle of it towards Gon. Gon catches it easily.

Killua groans and rolls his eyes, but Gon’s not having it.

“Sunscreen first!” he insists. “You burn easy as anything and I’ll be the one who has to take care of you when you’re all red and whining that you can’t do anything for yourself.”

Killua leans in to bump shoulders with Gon. “I thought you liked taking care of me when I don’t feel good,” he says with an exaggerated flutter of his eyelashes.

Gon huffs. “That’s not the point. C’mon, it’ll ruin the rest of our trip for you if you get burnt.”

Killua sighs, but relents. Gon’s right. Even if it is a little fun to have Gon fuss over and dote on him, it wouldn’t be worth it to feel bad for the rest of their trip. He and Gon pass back and forth the bottle of sunscreen - covering faces, limbs, and their front sides. It’s cool against his heated skin - too cool if he puts on too much at once.

Then, Gon is handing him the bottle and saying, “You get my back and I’ll get yours.”

“Sure, sure.”

All it takes is the moment of Gon turning his back for Killua to form a devious plan. He squeezes a liberal amount of sunscreen into his hand. He looks over his shoulder to see if the other two are watching. Kurapika glances over just for a moment before burying his nose his book, as if determined not to make this his business. Leorio just looks at him with wide eyes before- 

_Slap!_

The wet smack is followed shortly back the sound of Gon yelping as he jumps in place. “Cold, cold!”

Killua bursts out laughing.

“Kiiii-lluuuu-aaaaa!” Gon whines, but Killua has already set about the task of rubbing the sunscreen into Gon’s skin.

“Don’t be such a baby.”

Killua only realizes his prank may have been a mistake when Gon turns around, holding his hand out expectantly.

_Oh._

Well, he supposes retaliation is only fair.

He passes over the bottle and watches a smile bloom on Gon’s face before he turns. His position leaves him facing his other two friends, who are now both watching attentively - Leorio grinning and Kurapika wearing a smaller but no less amused smile with his book now laying against his chest.

_Splat!_

Killua’s bites down, and is proud that he doesn’t cry out - only jerks in place at the sudden cold and wet feeling at his back,

Gon snickers, obviously pleased with himself.

*

The time it takes for Killua and Gon to become little dots bobbing on the horizon seems like no time at all. 

“Aren’t you gonna swim?” Comes Kurapika’s voice. 

Leorio looks back to find him peeking over his book. He snorts. “Not out that far, I’m not.” He’s quite content to wait until they come back further in to shore. Kurapika’s not the biggest fan of getting in the water, he knows, and Leorio would rather stay where there’s company.

“Oh? Scared of the deep water?” Kurapika asks, just a hint of a tease in his voice.

Privately, Leorio thinks he’s had enough of being out in the middle of the ocean to last him a lifetime. Rather than expressing that aloud, though, Leorio waves his hand dismissively towards Kurapika.

“Nah. I’d just rather not open myself up to more teasing from that brat when I can’t keep up with the two of them. I’m sick of being called grandpa - I’m only in my thirties!”

“Mmmn. Fair enough,” Kurapika hums, and the small smile Leorio sees when he glances that way makes him pause. 

It wasn’t all that long ago that such a smile was so rare Leorio had though Kurapika had forgotten to smile all together. It’s such a relief that it comes easier now. That it had only taken nearly dying for Kurapika to rethink the ramifications of going through with his one-man revenge quest is upsetting, to say the least, but… At least they’re all here now. 

Leorio digs into one of the totes and pulls out a flattened beach ball. Maybe if he has this blown up when Gon and Killua get back, they can all toss it around a bit.

“He only teases you so much because you’re so reactive, you know,” Kurapika points out as Leorio huffs his first breath into the ball.

“Mm, I guess.” Leorio’s words come out muffled as he continues to work.

It makes sense, especially considering Leorio is the only one who gets teased for his age. Kurapika’s only a couple of years younger and has honestly aged harder over the past several years than Leorio has. He has more gray in his hair than Leorio, even if it’s a little less noticeable among his blonde locks than Leorio’s darker hair. He’s got a few premature wrinkles, too, although Leorio privately thinks that his crows’ feet are kind of cute.

He doesn’t let himself think about whether Kurapika’s age shows more because of the shear stress of all they’ve been through or because of the effects of Emperor’s Time. Instead, he watches those two little dots bobbing out on the water - one white, one black - and pushes another breath into the slowly inflating ball.

“You’d probably catch a break if you just let it roll off you.”

“Yeah, probably,” Leorio agrees, and then with a little more effort finishes inflating the ball. He plugs it up, then turns to Kurapika, grinning. “But that wouldn’t be as fun. Think fast!”

He tosses the ball up and bops it over towards Kurapika, who throws his hands up automatically in an attempt to catch it, accidentally sending his book flipping back over his head. “Aaah! Leorio!”

He only manages to sound scolding for a moment before he dissolves into laughter, and Leorio can’t help but laugh along with him.

*

Laughing, Gon lifts his hand to block the spray of Killua shaking his hair out. It’s pointless, out in the water like they are, but he knows Killua is just trying to splash him. 

“Stop it!” Gon protests, splashing him with a slap to the water.

“You stop it!” Killua counters, chuckling, as he returns with another splash. “You wanna go out further?”

Gon looks out towards the horizon, and is tempted for a moment. Then he shakes his head. “Nah. I think it freaks Leorio out when we go out where he can’t see.”

Killua rolls his eyes. “Yeah, okay fine…” He swims closer to Gon. “So, is the 500th beach you’ve seen in your life everything you hoped for?”

It’s Gon’s turn to roll his eyes. “In fact, yes it is.”

Killua hums, and under the water Gon feels a hand encircle his wrist, tugging him closer. “Well, as long as you’re happy…”

Swimming closer isn’t altogether easy. It gives them less room to tread water, but it’s worth it to feel Killua’s limbs occasionally brushing his own under the water. “I am happy,” Gon confirms. Then, after waiting for Killua to look up to meet his eyes. “But I’m always happy when I’m with you, Killua.”

His words have the desired effect - Killua’s cheeks flush a pretty shade of pink. Gon grins widely.

Killua clicks his tongue. “Tch. You’re embarrassing.”

“Mmm… But you’re happy too, right, Killua?”

Killua’s expression softens as he nods. “Yeah. ‘m happy, Gon.” Briefly, he leans in to kiss Gon’s cheek, fingers brushing along his jaw. “Real happy.”

Gon smiles all the wider.

Killua pushes a little bit of Gon’s hair - which has fallen from its usual styling now that it’s wet - away from his face. “Did I ever tell you you look real cute with your hair down like this?”

Gon feels heat come into his own cheeks. “Killua…” It’s not fair - he’s supposed to be the one making Killua blush.

“Cute like a wet dog,” Killua adds on - and Gon knows he’s teasing from his tone and from his smile, but it’s more fun if he reacts like he doesn’t know that. So he cries out Killua’s name, and splashes him in retaliation, only to start laughing again as Killua splashes him too.

*

It’s mostly quiet while they wait for Gon and Killua to come back up on shore. It’s just the sound of the waves, wind in the trees, the distant and joyous cries of their friends as they swim, and - for a while - Leorio blowing up the few inflatables they’ve brought with them.

Kurapika makes a pleasing amount of progress on his book, and when he looks up Leorio is laid back on the blanket in the shade. Kurapika smiles, then looks out towards the water.

“It looks like Gon and Killua are coming back in.”

Leorio springs up. “Finally!” He reaches into a bag and starts applying sunscreen while they wait, then tosses it to Kurapika. “C’mon. We’ll be in the sun soon, too.”

As soon as Gon and Killua are close enough, Leorio’s standing, hollering out, “Head’s up!” before he volleyballs the beach ball in their direction.

Kurapika watches as both of them become instantly alert - two pairs of eyes fixed on to in-coming colorful orb. They’re still in the water, almost up to their knees, so it their movement is hindered a little but Gon still runs for it, -

“I got it, I got it!”

\- jumps

\- and smacks it with a triumphant cry back up onto shore.

Leorio runs, narrowly avoiding tripping himself up on the blanket before he manages to hit it back. “Ha! Take that!”

Kurapika quickly sets his book aside and scrambles to his feet.

“You’re so on, old man!” Killua cries, and it’s his turn to spike it back.

Kurapika runs and in the process for lunging for it dislodges his sunhat - but he gets a successful hit!

The ball soars high. Gon and Killua are both trained on the sight of it as it arches up, and over them, and they run, splashing through the water, reaching-

“Wha- Gon, no-”

“I got it, I got it!”

_Splash!_

For a moment all that can be seen of either Gon or Killua is a flailing of limbs reaching from below the surface of the water.

Killua comes up first, gasping for air. Gon follows shortly after.

“Gooon!”

“I’m sorry, Killua, I’m sorry!”

“I got water _up my nose_!”

Gon sits with hands hovering over Killua, looking distressed while Killua groans and wipes at his nose with his forearm. Kurapika can practically hear the gross, snotty-sound from here, and feels a memory of saltwater burning his own nose surface up.

Leorio laughs. “Guess that means point one goes us! You missed the ball.”

“Oh, the ball-!” Gon looks over his shoulder to see it floating away. He stands and rushes off to get it, needing to swim out a little deeper before he reaches it.

Killua, meanwhile, stands and points his finger at Leorio. “You just wait, old man! We’re not gonna lose to you!”

“We’ll see about that!” Leorio retorts. “Our team will crush your team!”

Kurapika looks up from where he’s picking his sunhat up from the sand. “We’re playing on teams…?” He asks, moving to drop the hat safely on their beach blanket just as Gon comes back to stand next to Killua, the ball held safely in one arm.

“Of course we are!” reply Killua and Leorio simultaneously - Leorio as he drops an arm around Kurapika’s shoulders and Killua as he snatches up Gon’s free hand.

“Does this mean you forgive me for knocking us into the water?” Gon asks.

Killua huffs. “‘Course I forgive you, dummy,” With a brief tug on his hand, Killua pulls on in close enough to drop a quick kiss on his cheek - as if to prove his forgiveness.

Gon’s smile is wide and dopey, and he hums contentedly in response.

“But now we have to kick their asses,” Killua says, squeezing Gon’s hand.

Gon looks up towards his other two friends, the back at Killua. Then, rolling a shoulder, he says to Leorio and Kurapika, “Sorry, guys. The boyfriend says I gotta kick y’all’s butts now.”

“You’re on!”

*

After the game, everyone pulls themselves back over to the beach blanket. Kurapika falls into his chair while the rest collapse onto the blanket in a tired but satisfied heap.

“Good game,” Gon hums, making Killua’s torso his pillow as he folds his arms atop him.

“Yeah,” Killua breathes. 

There’s quiet for a moment while they all catch their breath, broken only when Killua starts nudging Leorio with his foot. “Told ya we’d win.”

Leorio snorts. “In your dreams. We were at least two points ahead.”

Gon and Killua both perk at that, lifting their heads.

“Leorio, we won with the last hit…”

Leorio sits up. “No way! You two never caught up after we got that really good spike on you and-”

“We did so!” Killua argues. “Right after you-”

Kurapika, a little reluctant to step in on the arguing but still fairly sure he and Leorio took the win, speaks up, “No, we decided that points was null because-”

“We never actually agreed on-”

“We had more points at the end-”

“No, _we_ did, after-”

Voices raise, piling atop one another until no one can be heard.

“Wait, wait!” Killua raises his hands to draw attention to himself. “Okay, this isn’t hard… Who had the most points at the end?”

Silence falls over them.

Gon frowns to himself, silently moving his fingers as he counts. “I think we had… like… fifteen? No, thirteen… What were we playing until?”

Leorio snorts. “We were only playing until ten! We got there first.”

Another beat of silence.

Kurapika breaks it, sounding hesitant. “Did we… Did we ever pick someone to keep score?”

…

They agree to drop the argument and take a lunch break.

*

After they eat, Leorio’s snores can be heard again. They’re softer than they were on the car ride, but Kurapika can hardly blame him for wanting to take a snooze after their game earlier and having a full belly now. 

Gon and Killua, on the other hand, are wide awake and slowly piling more sand onto Leorio’s legs, trying to quiet their soft snickers.

Kurapika’s not entirely sure how Leoriop wound up laying in the sand instead of on their beach blanket, but as long as they aren’t getting sand onto the blanket and therefore into their things, Kurapika won’t stop them.

They’d started by piling sand on Leorio’s feet, but slowly and surely they’re working up past his knees. Kurapika watches in between reading pages of his book, and when Gon and Killua manage to make it up to Leorio’s hips he’s almost convinced Leorio will sleep until he’s buried up to his shoulders.

Kurapika notices Leorio blink his eyes open first. Gon and Killua are still occupied moving sand. Leorio blinks, squinting up at the sky as he comes back to himself, and then suddenly seems to realize there’s an unusual weight on his legs.

“Wait, wh- ...Hey!”

He kicks, throwing sand up off of himself and onto his two friends. They both start - Gon throwing his hands up to shield himself while Killua winds up with a mouthful of sand.

“Yech! Ugggggh- aah!” Killua turns and begins spitting.

Kurapika presses his book to his face in and attempt to muffle his laughter.

“Oooh, Leorio… You ruined it.” Gon pouts, reminding Kurapika so much of when he was just a young boy.

“Ruined…? What were you _doing_ to me?” Leorio’s pushed himself up on his hands down, looking down at his legs, which are still partially covered in sand.

“Uuuugh!” Killua continues to moan. “‘Ss n ii ‘oouth!”

“Serves you right!” Leorio huffs, and Kurapika is taken over with another fit of giggles as Killua digs a water bottle out of the chest to wash his mouth out with.

“We were just trying to cover you in sand before you woke up…” Gon answers.

“Wh- _Why_?”

“I think they were making you the base for their sand castle,” Kurapika supplies.

Leorio looks to Kurapika, then to Gon. Then he lays back down in the sand, arms straight at his sides.

“I don’t want to be a sandcastle,” he says. “Make me a mermaid.”

There’s a pause while his words sink in. Gon looks down at him, blinking as if trying to make sure he’s heard correctly. Killua stares too - caught with a mouthful of water.

“Really?” Gon asks.

Leorio nods. Killua spits the water out and scrambles back to Leorio’s side. Two pairs of hands are suddenly pushing dirt onto Leorio. It’s not the slow, deliberate, secretive things it was before. Gon and Killua work quickly to dump handfuls of sand onto Leorio, packing it in around him.

Killua is patting down the dirt around Leorio’s legs, trying to pile it into a shape when Gon pauses to clarify - “A merman or mermaid?”

Leorio, buried up to his elbows, replies, “I said what I said. I wanna be a beautiful mermaid.”

Gon nods, his expression very serious, before he continues with his craft.

He and Killua shape a tail into the sand, and continue covering Leorio’s chest and shoulders.

“I want breasts,” Leorio tells him after they cover his chest with a flat layer of sand.

Two mounds are formed.

“I want a seashell bra!”

Gon hops to his feet to search along the shore line while Killua begins drawing a scale pattern into Leorio’s fish tail. Gon comes back with two halves of a clam shell and sets them on the mounds on Leorio’s chest. 

Killua and Gon sit back to observe their work, and nod solemnly.

“We’re done,” Gon says.

“It is our finest work,” Killua agrees.

Leorio looks towards Kurapika. “Am I beautiful?”

Kurapika looks him in the eyes. “You’re the most beautiful mermaid I’ve ever seen.”

“My dream has come true.”

They immortalize Leorio’s mermaid form with a photo. When he bursts from the mound of sand with all form limbs and a roaring cry, everyone doubles over with laughter.

*

“Hey! Hey, you guys! You gotta see-”

Gon comes running back to the blanket from where he’d just been down the shore.

When everyone looks towards Gon, he points back towards the rocky area of the beach they can see down several yards from where they are. “There’s all sorts of cool critters over that way! I was looking for crabs along the way but I found some isopods over there and some beetles and-”

Killua’s nose wrinkles at the same time Leorio frowns.They exchange looks.

“Uhhh… I think we’re good, Gon,” Leorio starts.

“Yeah, you… You go enjoy the bugs,” Killua says.

“But… But it’s getting darker so… So we’ll probably actually be able to find some crabs and…”

There’s a decisive thwap. Everyone looks to Kurapika, whose shut his book. He looks directly at Gon.

“I would like to see the bugs, Gon.”

Gon grins.

*

“I knew _you’d_ like to see the bugs,” Gon hums as he walks back down the beach with Kurapika.

It had been a really pleasant discovery - Kurapika’s joy of looking at all of the kinds of critters Killua usually thought to be gross. Killua could usually handle it, of course, but he didn’t seem to enjoy looking for bugs and things the way Gon does.

A while back, Kurapika had come to stay with him on Whale Island. Kurapika had needed a place to get away from… Well, everything. And Mito had been glad to have him. To distract him on the bad days, Gon had taken him exploring. When he sw how much Kurapika enjoyed it, Kurapika explained that this was the sort of thing he’d do for fun when he was really young, too.

Kurapika hums, looking out over the water towards where the sun is sinking low. “Yeah. Seems like the perfect way to end today, really.”

Gon smiles. “So, you’ve had a good time?”

Kurapika turns to him, smiling, and nods. And it’s good - good to know today has gone as well as he’d hoped.

Gon bumps shoulders with Kurapika, who bumps him back.

“We should do this more often,” Kurapika says. “All of us.”

Gon grins. “Yes! If you think Cheadle won’t get too stressed without you and Leorio around.”

Kurapika looks back over his shoulder towards where they’ve left Leorio and Killua. “We’ll make it work,” he says, and Gon can tell that he means he’ll make it work.

“Oh! Kurapika, look!”

As Kurapika turns, Gon points to where he saw something move. “There was something just…”

They walk further forward. Something shifts in the sand. Kurapika holds his arm out in front of Gon as they both wait - eager, quiet.

Slowly, a crab - smallish, less than the size of Gon’s palm - unearths itself and and scuttles off down the shoreline. In the low evening sunlight, it emits a soft light all it’s own - blue and bioluminescent. 

Gon hears Kurapika let out a soft breath of amazement.

“Have you ever seen…?”

Gon shakes his head. “No, not like this. … Do you wanna follow it?”

“Yes,” comes Kurapika’s answer instantly.

So they do. Not too quickly - they don’t want to overtake it or scare it off. Then, just as Gon had hoped, he sees more spots in the sand move. Slowly, more crabs unearth themselves and scuttle along towards the rocky area Gon had been in before.

There are several rocks of varying sizes in the sand, all getting larger as they get nearer to the huge rocky outcrop that acts as an end to this half of the beach. There’s probably more shore on the other side, Gon guesses, but the rock formation stretches out far enough into the water that it’d be tricky to find a way around.

Besides, they’ve already found something interesting on this side.

“There’s so many!”

So, so many beautiful softly glowing crabs. They scurry between and over the rocks, and some are even pouring out from the cracks in those rocks. They must make their home here.

Gon and Kurapika are careful not to get too close to where they’re thickest, moving in tightly packed groups. 

“Oh, I wish Leorio and Killua had come with us… this is so beautiful.”

“Yeah,” Kurapika agrees. “Maybe we should go get them…?”

Gon looks back the way they’ve come, considering doing just that. If he runs back, maybe they all can get back in time before the crabs leave…

At first the sound doesn’t register. With the wind and the waves crashing on shore, it’s easy to miss - to think heavier waves must be rolling in.

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna-”

“Uuh… Gon….”

Gon turns. “What is it, Kura..pi-?”

The ocean in glowing.

Or rather, a large portion of the water just off shore is glowing. Gon and Kurapika watch, speechless, as that glowing spot grows brighter and bigger and _more_ until-

The crash of the water as it rolls off the creature emerging from the waters’ depths is deafening. Huge claws raise up and long, jointed legs lift the creature up and up. It glows, and climbs back towards the beach, and lets out a noise - and impossibly loud chittering.

“That must be…”

“Their mother?”

“Right.”

Gon and Kurapika look at each other, then back at the huge crab as it lets out another roar, shaking the sand beneath them as it moves onto the beach.

“Best we leave now,” Kurapika suggests.

“Right!”

Without another word, Kurapika and Gon turn in unison and run.

“Go, go, go!” Kurapika is yelling as they go, trying to signal their friends.

“We have to leave!” Gon does the same, waving his arms above his head.

The commotion the crab itself made must have drawn their attention, though, because Leorio and Killua are both standing and staring.

“What did you DO?!” Killua calls, loud enough for them to hear.

“Nothing!!” Gon calls back.

“Just GO!” Kurapika yells, waving his arms towards the car.

Leorio and Killua rush to grab what they can - haphazardly throwing things into bags and over their shoulders. In a zip of light, Killua runs to the car using Godspeed. Leorio is halfway there, following, when Killua runs back to grab the rest of their things, and to the car again.

Seeing they have that handled, Gon and Kurapika turn and run full tilt for their vehicle.

Leorio has the car running by the time they get there, and Killua sits in the front seat. 

Half turning, he exclaims, “Seriously, what did you guys do?”

“I told you - nothing!” Gon says, panting. “We just- followed some- crabs and…” He heaves in breathes between his words.

“And summoned the behemoth mother of crabs?! Whoa!” Killua is thrown back in his seat as Leorio hits the gas.

When Kurapika finally catches his breath, he looks back over his shoulder towards the beach, which has already disappeared from sight beyond the thick greenery of trees and other plants. “That… That must be why that beach was so deserted.”

“Why didn’t Palm and Ikalgo run into it?” Killua asks.

Gon thinks for a moment, then hums. “Could’ve been the wrong season… Maybe the crabs aren’t here all year…”

“No offense, but that’s the last time we take a vacation recommendation from them!” Leorio spouts.

“Well, it was nice up until that point!” Gon protests. “Plus, I kinda wanna go back and get a better look sometime…”

“Of course you do,” Leorio sighs.

“I wouldn’t mind either,” Kurapika says, smiling. “If we were better prepared, it would’ve been a great opportunity for study.”

“Exactly!”

“You’re both crazy!” Leorio declares, and Killua bursts into laughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Hope you've all had a great winter holiday!
> 
> For those who may be wondering - two weeks from now I'll be back w/ the next chapter for Green and Tender Magic. Sorry for the wait!


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